Developments:
* We are in the other side of the river… All glory to God, we made it to Peru!
* The enemy didn’t waste time to attack us. The first day was brutal for me, but thanks to your prayers it’s gotten better every day.
* Last month we received one new pledge of monthly financial support that put us at 40% of our budget; we also have a total of six open pledges. Through one-time donations and monthly supporters that started contributing before departure day we are at 100%! of our projected moving expenses—praise the Lord!
* I was interviewed by Bob and Anitra from the Reach FM Morning Show where I had an opportunity to expose our ministry and to ask for prayer on a state-wide Christian radio broadcast.
* Karla and I finally visited Pastor Chet at his house in the Bahamas for fellowship and training. We receive very pertinent ministry tips from Pastor Chet and his wife Andrea. Thank you Pastor Chet and Andrea for your love and support..!
* After coming back from the Bahamas, Pastor Chet and Pastor Bob presented and prayed us off from the pulpit of CC Ft Lauderdale on the Wednesday night service. ‘Thank You Lord for validating our calling through the laying on of hands of our Senior Pastor!
* We visited Pastor Carlos Aviles’ Horizon Calvary Chapel of Clermont, FL to share the vision for our ministry with the congregation. The Aviles family and the congregation received us with the love of Christ and blessed and encouraged us immensely.
* Our friends from the Plantation Campus blessed us with a surprise farewell party at the Garage with all our friends from all campuses. Thank you to all involved in this event for it hugely blessed our hearts!!
* The Sunday before we left, Pastor Steve and the elders at Plantation, our home church campus, laid hands and prayed us off from the altar.
* Since we arrived in Peru on the morning of March 4th we have accomplished a lot. Today we have only one week in Peru and we already bought a car from a sister in the Lord (a divine appointment), opened bank accounts, did all the errands pertaining my Peruvian green card (this is a big one), the kids started homeschool, got cell phones, and found a place to live where we’ll move-in in a month.
* Ministry-wise, we met with Pastor Javier Barrionuevo, our Senior Pastor in Peru, and I’m scheduled to start preaching in Miraflores on both Sunday and Wednesday services the 21st and the 24th, respectively. I’m also doing baptisms in Lurin this Sunday 14th and substituting Pastor Javier on a Nehemiah class that he is scheduled to teach at the Bible College on Friday 19th.
Prayer Needs:
* For the will of God to be done and His kingdom to be further established in our lives.
* For wisdom and clarity in our decision making.
* To find favor with the congregation of Miraflores for a graceful transition as we assume the leadership of the church.
* For our devotional lives to grow stronger and that we would plunge deeper into God’s love.
* That nothing in us would hinder the work that God is doing in our hearts in this season of abasement.
* For protection on our marriage and our children.
* For the Lord to give Karla a heart for the children’s ministry in the church--this is not her strongest gift.
* For Karla to learn to drive in the streets of Lima.
* For the items mentions above in the Developments area.
* For our monthly financial support to go from 40% to 65% of our budget so we could adequately minister the Word of God to the middle-class in Lima—the main reason we came to Peru!
Special Note:
After prayer and fasting we sense it unwise for me to start looking for a secular job at this time. With all the settling activities in the area of family and ministry if I were to add a regular job to the equation it would leave very little time for ministry—the main reason we’re here in Peru..!
For this reason we are slashing the original budget and going into “survival mode”. We figure that if we cram the family into a small two bedroom apartment, live on grains and vegetables, and give up provision for next year’s homeschooling curriculum, extra-curriculum activities, and entertainment we could survive on 65% of the original budget.
This would leave us with only 25% of the budget to make up for with any supernatural provision that God would come up with… This is why we are asking for your fervent prayers in this regard.
Thank you for holding us up through your love and faithful work of intercession..!
In His love,
Andres and Karla, Sebastian, Daniel, and Samuel—the Garcia’s.
PS: Make sure to check out the new pictures of our recent activities to your left...
